CHICAGO — State Senator Willie Preston introduced new legislation to ban harmful chemicals in candy, soda and other food items sold and produced in Illinois.

“This legislation, in its simplest form, increases food safety for Illinoisans,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “These substances have been used in food for decades, and new evidence shows they can pose serious threats to our health and to the health of our kids.”

Senate Bill 2637 will ban specific, dangerous food additives from being used in the manufacturing, delivering, distributing, holding or selling of food products. These additives include brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye no. 3.

CHICAGO – To express love and lift the spirits of local seniors, State Senator Willie Preston is collecting store-bought or handmade cards to deliver to senior facilities on Valentine’s Day.

“Our older residents are the pillars of our communities,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “I encourage families, students, community members and anyone able to send in or make a valentine to help spread love to our older neighbors.”

Preston’s office will collect Valentine’s Day cards from now until Friday, Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. The cards will then be donated to local senior facilities across the 16th Senate District.

People wishing to participate can drop off cards at Preston’s district office or mail them to 8500 Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60652.

For questions, people can call Preston’s office at 773-912-6255.

CHICAGO – With support from State Senator Willie Preston, Indian Springs School District 109 in Justice received $2,000 for resources to libraries through books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs.

“Funding our school libraries is key to providing our students with a quality education,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “Equipping our schools with these necessary resources will help our schools prepare each and every student for a better tomorrow.”

Based on a statutory formula, school districts receive $0.885 per student enrolled at each school with a qualified library. Funding for the School District Library Grant Program originates from the General Reserve Fund and is appropriated for this purpose by the Illinois General Assembly.

The grants, awarded once every fiscal year, support school library services for over 1 million students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade across the state.

“Illinois is upholding their responsibility to ensure we create opportunistic learning environments for our students,” Preston said. “This funding echoes our schools’ commitment to students, parents, staff and community members.”

For a full list of libraries that received funding, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

SPRINGFIELD – Taking a step forward to ensure the safety and well-being of employees and incarcerated individuals, State Senator Willie Preston’s law addressing indecent exposure in correctional facilities goes into effect Monday, Jan. 1.

“We must ensure a safe and respectful environment for every individual held or employed in correctional facilities,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “Indecent exposure within these facilities is a violation of human dignity and a blight on our justice system. Women, especially, are targets of this inappropriate behavior. Through this law, we will be able to address and eradicate these gender targeted incidents, fostering a secure environment for employees and individuals in the state’s care.”

This law amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to create the offense of “lewd sexual display in a penal institution,” making it a Class A misdemeanor for incarcerated individuals to expose themselves with the purpose or effect of intimidating, harassing or threatening someone. Repeat offenders face more severe penalties, with subsequent violations being considered Class 4 felonies. The provisions will also allow for thorough review of annual reports provided by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority in 2028.

Brought forth by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the new law mirrors penalties for public indecency but changes the penalties given the context and motivation of the crime. It excludes juvenile detention facilities, individuals under the age of 18 and those living with a behavioral health issue.

House Bill 1399 goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.